Best Pocket Knife Reviews 2019 | The Buyer’s Guide

From build material to design to accurate results, everything does matter in the best pocket knife.

But when it comes to choosing a pocket knife, you should also look for the intended usage of the knife. It’s simple, “hunting knives cannot be used for everyday carry as they’re different“.

Everything isn’t restricted to the above statement, you can use them for all purposes but they won’t appear to be more convenient in all situations. That’s why I am always recommending to choose the right pocket knife.

However, the brand also does matter as we can trust their product and it last longer. Branded knives are more expensive but as compare to other cheap knives in the market, they give less headache.

Anyhow, the ultimate goal of leopardots is to review the top 10 best pocket knives from the best knife brands in the world for you guys.

But before we get into that let’s find out what a great pocket knife offers rather than a low-quality knife so that you don’t make the wrong pick.

What Makes the Best Pocket Knife?

As I mentioned earlier Knife’s brand is the biggest factor. It’s not about the brand name but it’s all about what they offer to their customers that make their products trustworthy, convenient and reliable. Let’s take one small example of Benchmade Knives. They don’t just offer great pocket knives, but also take the responsibility of restoration as long as you own the knife and non-name brand doesn’t offer such a service.

Made Material

We have this thing in our mind that great things are made from a great material which is true.

Same is the case here with pocket knives. A great knife is made from a high-quality steel. Which is stainless, durable and even tough use doesn’t affect the sharpness of a blade.

1. It’s obvious that the best pocket knife should always be powered with a high-quality handle as it makes the knife more comfortable to use rather than a low-quality handle that always hurts your hand during tough use.

2. Knife lock is the most important factor that you shouldn’t forget as during performing heavy tasks it stops the knife from closing and makes the tool safe to use.

A great knife should always have a good quality lock as there are many knives out there in the market that comes with a cheap lock and makes the blade move steadily side by side with time.

3. Moreover, a well-built clip is important as it helps the knife to stay inside your pocket easily. The best pocket knife should always have a clip that isn’t sharp from the edges because clips with sharp edges might break, damage your pants and could fall out easily.

Best Pocket Knife List 2019

Now that the things an awesome pocket knife should have been clear to you guys. Let me share some great pocket knives that include all of the things that I suggested you guys earlier. Here is the list, keep reading.

Here comes the Barrage 581, the first best pocket knife in our list. You might be thinking that why not any other knife at #1. Let me tell you why! Benchmade company has a great reputation in the industry from the past 30 years by creating revolutionary knives for knife enthusiasts.

Their stylish designs, build material, blade performance, reliability, accuracy, and services ranked out many brands out there in the market. So without further ado let’s find out what makes the Benchmade barrage 581 knives so impressive.

Benchmade Barrage 581 Dimensions And General Details

Benchmade Barrage 581 is classified in tactical knives and it itself is a mini predator with 8.35 inches overall length and 3.6 inches blade length featuring the bohlr M390 steel that makes it strong enough for heavy-duty tasks.

Its mini design makes it suitable to carry around in your pocket. You don’t have to worry about the weight as the knife weighs only 5.2 ounces. It wouldn’t be wrong to call it a “Gentleman’s tactical knife” as its design itself is so decent. I think adding Barrage 581 wouldn’t be wrong to add to your knife collection.

Benchmade Barrage 581 Handle And Pocket Clip

High-quality Pocket clip and Handle is what on which the best pocket knife functions. Here I am not talking about the low quality as it sounds to me like buying pain in the ass with your own money and doesn’t last long. Funny! isn’t it? Anyhow, Let’s get into the real stuff.

Barrage 581 handles are made from a high-quality material named as G10 with aluminum bolsters, perfectly designed and I personally love it. However, you can’t use the knife in cold weather condition as the whole thing is made up of aluminum and gets cold easily, I would rather recommend using gloves in such conditions to get most out of this tactical knife. You might find the handle a bit bulky but it fits in your hand perfectly and also has grip points, so no issue with that.

A split arrow clip on the knife is another best thing that I like a lot. The best thing is that you don’t have to worry about losing it on the run as it sticks in your pocket perfectly.

Barrage 581 Lockup

The barrage 581 is the best-assisted knife that you can open with your both hands as the dual thumb studs are added to it. This is my first experience with such tactical knife and I must say, the access assisted opener is on another level.

If you’re not a fan of the aluminum bolster, the Benchmade barrage 581 isn’t for you like the most of the knife handle is manufactured from the material. The other drawback of the knife is that it’s pricey. We have this knife for the review purpose, but some of you might find expensive.

Blur folding knives are just awesome, I mean just look at it yourself in the picture, it’s the best one, no doubt in it. ken Onion is the man itself famous for creating such best knife designs and Kershaw blur is my all time favorite knife.

There’s some information that I’ll be giving you regarding the Kershaw ken onion blur folding knife in our review so that you so that you know that the knife is the right choice for you. With that being said, let me guide you through all the information that this best pocket knife offers.

Ken Onion Blur Design and Blade

The knife comes in two different sizes, one is medium and the other is small. but here we’re talking about the small one.

The dimensions of the knife make it suitable to carry around in your pocket all day with 7.875 inches overall length, a 3.35 inches blade size and weights only 3.9 ounces that makes it the best everyday carry a pocket knife.

Speaking of the blade, it’s not suitable for opening cans as the tip of the isn’t a knife that strong to tolerate heavy task activities. However, you can use it for cutting woody stuff like bushes and maintenance of your yard.

Here is the real Catch!

Moreover, the blade is sharp enough to shave your beard. I mean this sounds to me a bit funny but yeah this is true.

You need to be careful with it as you might end up getting stitches. It’s not the downside for this best EDC pocket knife but you might be that person who has kids, so don’t let them have it.

Ken Onion Construction

The knife itself is built from a high-quality stainless steel named as 13C26. It doesn’t matter if you bury the knife under a dirt or moist place for a day or throw it inside a washing machine, this best Kershaw EDC knife still maintains itself and it doesn’t affect its edges and sharpness.

I wouldn’t call the ken onion the best hunting knife or any other as it can be used for self-defense or maintenance of wooden materials. But still, if you’re in a life and death situation, I think it’ll work pretty good.

Opening System

There’s one more thing that you’ll find in this pocket knife, a speedsafe which is known as an assisted-opening system. The technology is found in many best pocket knives but Kershaw ken is itself the inventor of this amazing technology.

When the knife folds, it fits your palm perfectly, the speedsafe might startle some of you guys when opening the knife as the blade opens up faster than you expect. But that’s not the issue as long as you have better knowledge of the knife. Moreover, it comes with a clip that keeps hold of the knife in your pocket without damaging your pants.

Recommendations

As I mentioned earlier, the ken onion folding knife cannot be used for heavy activity tasks as you might lose the tip of your knife which will make it inconvenient to use. Go for Barrage 581 folding knife instead that I reviewed at #1 if this one doesn’t meet your requirements.

PROS

The sharpest blade that everyone expects in the best pocket knife.

Handle with perfect grip.

Stylish design.

Comes with a small size.

Super light.

Speedsafe technology.

The pocket clip that enables you to keep it inside your pocket with ease.

SWMP4LS M&P is probably the most stylish pocket knife in our list made by Smith and Wesson. I mean just look at it, the name and design itself is telling you that it’s designed for military and police. However, it’s not restricted to them, a die hard knives fan can also add this knife to his collection. Anyhow, let’s proceed.

SWMP4LS M&P Design, Specifications and Construction

Smith and Wesson SWMP4LS M&P is the best pocket knife that comes with a drop point blade design with a length of 3.6″. The knife that I reviewed at #1 comes with a handle that is all aluminum.

But it’s not the case here, SWMP4LS M&P offers a 5″ handle that is all steel along with a rubber outlay that makes it suitable for use in cold weather conditions as the rubber resists cold easily.

The knife itself is 8.6″ in length when it’s open and weights almost 215.4 grams. Linerlock is added to the Smith and Wesson SWMP4LS M&P pocket knife along with side safety and glass breaker for more convenience.

The 4034 steel is used for the construction of this best folding pocket knife that makes it stainless even if you bury it inside dirt for a day or two, the knife won’t be affected.

Moreover, the M.A.G.I.C(Multi-purpose Assistant Generational Innovative cutlery) opening mechanism technology is added to the SWMP4LS M&P Knife which is great.

SWMP4LS M&P Pocket Clip

If you’re a person that’s always on the run, the pocket clip of the SWMP4LS M&P knife might help you here. The clip is manufactured from a high-quality material with a smooth surface. The clip can stick to your all day without any hesitation. Do not believe me? try it yourself, it’s awesome.

However, let’s find out the problems that come with this best pocket knife. I find out the sharpness of the knife a bit low.

I tried cutting different tough materials with it but it didn’t deliver the performance that other folding knives delivered. But in the case of the woody stuff, it did well.

Recommendations

The other thing is that it might not be easy to use for newbies as it’s a bit tricky to use. But from build quality to design to performance on wooden materials, it’s on another level. I would recommend it to use it for self-defense and everyday carry.

The fourth best pocket knife is from Blizetech, the 5 in 1 folding knife that offers great build quality, design and some other interesting specifications within affordable price. You might not find the stylish knives like Blizetec Survival and Smith and Wesson SWMP4LS M&P(#3) in the market. I would classify them as best survival knives as these are specially designed for this purpose. So without further ado, let’s get into the review.

Bizet Survival Knife Design

Let me first get into the interesting part of the knife. I don’t know why I get the feeling that the knife’s handle is pistol like.

It’s interesting how the company designed it this way to make it more appealing to the knife lovers. The blade of the knife is divided into two portions, one resembles a saw and the other one is a sharp blade.

When it comes to rough and thick surfaces, the saw point is the beast but in case surfaces where you don’t need much effort like sharpening sticks, a simple blade portion is enough for that.

Dimensions

Moreover, let’s get familiar with the dimensions of the Blizetec Survival. As the knife is made for people who are always on the camping side of the state, the 8.5 inches entire length is not bad at all for them. The blade size is also included in the measurement that I mentioned but the length of the blade is actually 3.5 inches which makes the handle 5 inches.

Some of you might be worried about the weight which you don’t have to as the knife weighs only 0.34 pounds that makes it super light.

Making Material And Other Information

Blizetec Survival Knife Manufacturing Material and Other information are discussed here. As much as I am familiar with Blizetec Survival, it’s the best pocket knife in terms of building material as the entire thing is made up of anodized aluminum that makes it durable.

Moreover, there are also some interesting facts about Blizetec Survival knife. It offers a seatbelt cutter and glass breaker.

In case you’re in a terrible situation where you’re stuck in the car with the seat belt on and windows closed, you can leverage these two features to get you out of the situation. The magnesium firestarter is another interesting part of the knife, you can get used to it during some hard situations.

The Scope Onboard

The scope like an object you’re seeing at the top of the survival knife’s handle is actually an LED light that comes with batteries and helps you out in dark conditions.

Speaking of the flaws, the LED light of the knife might be a distraction as it’s location at the thumb rest and taking the light out helps you focused on cutting something.

The batteries that comes the LED of a knife are weak and works just 12 hours, you might need extra ones in case you’re out for camping. The magnesium starter isn’t that impressive, as it delivers tiny sparks.

This is probably the most simple looking pocket knife by Gerber in our list in this modern era. isn’t it? On the other hand, we have those knives in the market that comes with a fixed blade and many people prefer those. I am not gonna lie, I also like the ones with a fixed blade, but Gerber mini paraframe folding knife isn’t classified in those knives.

Value

I consider this a plus point because when it comes to backpacking where weight is your top priority, it’s important to have a Gerber mini paraframe instead of having one of those massive knives as it’s super tiny and you can separate the handle and knife blade with ease. Let’s get into design.

Gerber mini is classified in our best pocket knife list because of it’s simple and stylish design. For cutting down the weight the company actually gave the knife’s handle a paraframe design which looks cool.

However, the blade has a simple and standard design that you might find in many knives. But the big difference is that it’s a branded knife that means, you don’t have to worry about the quality as Gerber knives are trusted by their customers from years.

The Clip Onboard

Moreover, there’s also a pocket clip attached to the handle. So, that the knife could stay all the time in your pocket. The material used in the folding knife is carbon stainless steel that takes the build quality to another level.

Let’s talk dimension. The entire length measured on the knife is 5 inches with 2 inches blade size. The thing weighs only 1.4 ounces which is good for carrying around with you during camping or outdoor activities with ease.

Anyhow It’s one of the best pocket knives but, there’s one major problem with it. The overall handle is stainless steel and doesn’t come with rubber that hesitate you using it in cold weather.

This is the 2nd best pocket knife we’re reviewing from Kershaw which is probably a bit larger than its previous version which is Cryo and i wish it was smaller but still it’s small enough to fit in your pocket. However, both knives are identical in design but the only difference is the weight and size.

Availability

The cryo knives took its place in the market back in 2012 after best blade show on the basis of its overall quality. Anyhow, let’s proceed Kershaw cryo II knife review.

Design

The Cryo II is itself is around 6.5 inches long when opened. However, the blade is 2.75 inches and weighs around 119 grams. The knife feels a bit heavy in the hand but I think it’s not a bad thing. If we compare it with other best pocket knives in our list regarding weight, you can literally feel it while carrying in your pocket. But it’s not the case with others.

Handle

The overall handle of this folding knife is made up of stainless steel. Which is hollow from inside for keeping the blade. You might have seen some pocket knives that come with a handle. Where one edge is open and the other is closed. It’s opposite with Kershaw cryo II knife, here we have both edges open.

The handle on the knife is just perfect which attached to the back-end of the knife. In fact, the knife is heavy because of the construction material but as long as it’s powered with such amazing clip, you don’t have to worry about losing it.

The Lockup

Moreover, the lockup is another interesting part in the knife as it’s secure enough to stop the knife from bending or side to side movements. Sometimes the problems occur with a lockup and you might experience side by side movements. But not a big issue, you need to twist the pivot screw to get rid of the problem. In short, Kershaw Cryo II is the best pocket knife with the guts to gets the job done.

As I mentioned earlier, you might experience the heavy side of the knife but it doesn’t consider this as its downside. As long as its results satisfy me, it’s not a big deal. Another downside for the knife is also noticed with the handle. The handle should be powered with to maintain its grip and avoid the cold.

PROS

Simple and easy to use.

Good design.

Great build material.

Sharpest blade.

Durable.

powered with lockup.

CONS

Heavy.

No rubber used on the handle.

Two Best Pocket knives Recommendation

If you’re a big fan of pocket knives and looking for a knife that you can add to your collection, I would strongly recommend the SWMP4LS M&P best pocket knife. You can also use it for self-defense or even during camping.

It is useful in handling the worst situations. For example, during camping, you get lost in the woods. Or it might happen to get stuck in the car for no reason. The Blizetech survival knife is the best choice to make as it comes with 5 surviving features that help big time.

Conclusion

Here we’re with the best pocket knives. The list that we created contains some of the good quality and best pocket knives. As always, go with the brand, it reduces a headache. The knives we reviewed are all from the trusted brands with a good reputation for years.

Let us know which one is your favorite knife from the list. You can recommend us the knives to review them for you. Let us know in the comment box. Your feedback means a lot to us.